Lipotes

TheRiver Dolphin that "Functionally Extinct"

EndangeredStatus

In 1970s， the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species （IUCN Red List） listed lipotes as "Data Deficient" specie. In 1986， field surveys estimated that the number of lipotes population in Yangtze River is less than 300. Lipotes is regarded as "endangered （EN）" specie on the IUCN Red List .

In the 1990s， scientists estimated the number of lipotes in Yangtze River was less than 200. In 1996， Lipotes was regarded as "Critically Endangered （CR）" species on the IUCN Red List. In 1997， only 23 Lipotes were found in field surveys and the number of the population was estimated less than 50. In 1998， the number decreased to 7， and the estimated population was less than 15. On December 4， 2006， no Lipotes was found during the six weeks investigation at Yangtze River. On December 13， 2006， the experts declared that the Lipotes specie may have become extinct. Even though there are a few individual Lipotes existing， we cannot guarantee that they can successfully reproduce， that is Lipotes has become "functionally extinct". However， in August 2007， a citizen found a suspect Lipotes in Tongling Dolphin National Nature Reserve in Anhui Province. In July 2011， a fisherman found three Lipotes in the Yangtze River. Thus， In 2014， the Chinese Red List of biological diversity assessed that Lipotes is still listed as "critically endangered（CR）" species.